Notorious criminal escapes from police custody; Doon SSP shifted

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 15

Senior Superintendent of Police, Dehradun, Ajay Rautela, has been attached as Additional Secretary, Home, and five constables were immediately suspended after a hardcore criminal, Amit Malik alias Bhura, escaped from police custody today while he was being taken to Baghpat from Dehradun jail for court trail. A hunt has been launched in collobation with Uttar Pradesh police to nab the absconding criminal.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat reportedly expressed his unhappiness at the turn of events and gave strict instructions to senior police officials to produce results. The transfer of SSP, Dehradun, is also linked to the incident.

According to the information available, hardcore criminal Amit Malik, who was in Dehradun jail, was being taken to Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, today to be produced before court in a criminal case when he escaped from police custody.

The incident took place near the court premises when his accomplices threw chilli powder on the police escort team and fired several rounds of bullets before taking Malik with them from police custody.

Malik along with his accomplices had taken away two AK-47 and SLR(Self Loading Rifle) rifles from policemen accompanying him before fleeing away from the spot.

Sources confirmed that Malik was handcuffed when the incident took place but he managed to dodge the police to escape from their custody.

Speaking with The Tribune, DIG (Garhwal), Sanjay Gunjyal, who immediately went to Baghpat after the incident told that an FIR has been registered against the five police constables on the charge of laxity in duty.

The five constables who were suspended after incident were identified as Gangaram, Dharmendra, Pradeep, Ravindra and Ilam Chander.

DIG Gunjyal told the special team comprising special task force personnel has also been deployed to trace him. He said that Amit Malik is involved in a dozen cases of murder, attempt to murder, loot , robbery and kidnapping.

Malik was recently arrested in connection with the shootout outside Roorkee jail on August 5 in which three persons were killed and six others injured in the gunfight allegedly planned to eliminate Cheenu Pandit on the day he was released on bail.

He was transferred to Dehradun jail from Roorkee jail last week. Sources confirmed that the constables were briefed about security measures to be taken while shifting Malik to Baghpat for court trail.

DIG Gunjyal said that the police teams were sent to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, New Delhi and other neighbouring states to nab Malik.

Uttarakhand police has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anyone giving information about the whereabouts of Amit Malik. DIG Gunjyal hoped that Malik would be arrested soon.